The Elusive Apache Helicopters: Afghanistan's Air Power Mystery

In the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Afghan government and its military equipment fell into the hands of the Taliban. While the exact number of helicopters left behind by the US forces is unknown, it is estimated that the Taliban captured more than 100 military helicopters, including Russian-made Mi-17 transport aircraft and US-made UH-60 Black Hawks. During the evacuation efforts, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters were called in to perform show-of-force maneuvers and clear the runway for C-17s to take off safely. However, there is no indication that the US left any Apache helicopters in Afghanistan, and they remain under the control of the US military.

The US abandoned helicopters in Afghanistan

The abandonment of the helicopters was part of a larger non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) in Afghanistan. The Pentagon stated that this NEO was one of the largest in American military history, comparable to the evacuation of Americans and others from South Vietnam in 1975. The US military was forced to leave equipment behind in the rush to evacuate safely before the 31 August deadline.

In total, the US left behind 73 aircraft, nearly 100 vehicles, and other equipment. Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of US Central Command, stated that the equipment had been "demilitarized" and would never fly again. This equipment included MD-530 helicopters, A-29 light attack planes, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), Humvees, and counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar systems.

The US also left behind billions of dollars' worth of military equipment, including aircraft, vehicles, weapons, and communications equipment. John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, reported that approximately $7.2 billion in American military equipment was left in Afghanistan, including at least 78 aircraft worth more than $920 million.

The abandonment of helicopters and other equipment by the US in Afghanistan has raised concerns about the potential use of this equipment by the Taliban. While some equipment was destroyed or rendered inoperable, the Taliban has been seen posing with and celebrating their capture of US military equipment. There are also concerns about the Taliban's ability to operate and maintain the captured equipment, particularly the helicopters, without outside help.

The Taliban captured helicopters in Afghanistan

As the Taliban swept into Kabul in August 2021, they captured several helicopters that had been supplied to the Afghan Air Force (AAF) by the US and its allies. This included Russian-made Mi-35 Hind and Mi-17 Hip helicopters, as well as MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters and UH-60 Black Hawks. The US had been providing Black Hawks to Afghanistan in recent years, but far fewer Afghan crews had been trained to maintain these aircraft compared to the Mi-17s.

Taliban fighters were seen posing in captured aircraft, celebrating on the tarmac of Kabul airport, and standing next to a captured Mi-24 attack helicopter gifted by India to the AAF in 2019. The Mi-24 is the second purpose-built attack helicopter in the world and was used by the Soviet Union during its invasion of Afghanistan to pick off Afghan resistance fighters and cover advancing ground forces. It was dubbed the "Devil's Chariot" by the Afghan resistance due to its size and menacing design, as well as their inability to shoot it down with small arms.

In total, it is thought that the Taliban captured more than 100 helicopters, with most of the 167 aircraft under the control of the AAF falling into their hands. However, it is unclear how many of these captured helicopters are operational, as many were deliberately damaged by Afghan forces before being abandoned, and the Taliban lack the trained pilots, maintenance crews, and spare parts needed to operate and repair them.

The US used Apache helicopters to clear Kabul runways

The US military used Apache helicopters to clear the runway of people at Kabul airport, allowing C-17 transport planes to take off.

In August 2021, as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, thousands of people attempted to flee the country. This led to chaotic scenes at Kabul airport, with crowds of Afghans swarming the runway and climbing onto aircraft. Videos and images showed people clinging to the fuselage of an overloaded C-17 plane. In one instance, an Apache helicopter was used to clear the runway of people so that the plane could take off. The use of the Apache helicopter was a desperate measure to prevent people from being killed by the plane's engines or falling from the aircraft during takeoff.

The US military's use of Apache helicopters to clear the runway was met with shock and dismay. The situation in Afghanistan was described as "dire" and "heartwrenching," with people recognising the parallels to the fall of Saigon in 1975. The evacuation effort was further complicated by the presence of Taliban checkpoints and near-constant gunfire around the airport.

The Apache attack helicopter is a deadly gunship developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) for the US armed forces. It entered service with the US Army in 1984 and has been exported to several countries, including India, Egypt, and the UK. The Apache is a versatile aircraft that can be used for attack and crowd control purposes, as seen in the Kabul runway incident.

The Taliban cannot use captured helicopters

The Taliban's lack of trained pilots is a significant obstacle to their ability to use the captured helicopters. Even if they can get the helicopters airborne, they lack the knowledge to use the weapons systems effectively and safely. Operating advanced military aircraft requires specialized training that the Taliban lack.

Additionally, the captured helicopters require regular maintenance and access to spare parts, which the Taliban are unlikely to have. The US-made helicopters, in particular, are highly sophisticated and require specialized knowledge and equipment to maintain. Without proper maintenance, the helicopters will eventually become inoperable.

Furthermore, some of the captured helicopters may have been intentionally disabled by US forces before they withdrew from Afghanistan. There are reports of equipment, including helicopters, being "demilitarized" or rendered inoperable by US troops as they evacuated. In some cases, explosives were used to destroy key components, ensuring that the helicopters would never fly again.

The Taliban's lack of access to maintenance crews and spare parts is especially true for the Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters. These helicopters were procured by the US for the Afghan armed forces because they were cheaper and easier to fly than US-made alternatives. However, obtaining spare parts for these helicopters has become challenging due to cool relations between Moscow and Washington. Without a steady supply of spare parts, the Taliban will struggle to keep the Mi-17s operational.

In conclusion, while the Taliban have captured a significant number of helicopters, their lack of trained personnel, maintenance capabilities, and access to spare parts means that they are unlikely to be able to use them effectively. The captured helicopters may serve as trophies or propaganda tools, but their practical value to the Taliban is limited.

The US destroyed equipment before abandoning Kabul airport

The US military's two-decade presence in Afghanistan ended on 30 August 2021, with the departure of the last US military aircraft from Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. The withdrawal came amid scenes of chaos, bloodshed, and desperation, as troops attempted to coordinate a massive exodus of people out of the country while simultaneously fending off attacks by ISIS-K.

In the final hours before the US withdrawal, American troops destroyed or "demilitarized" equipment at the Kabul airport, ensuring that it would not be of any use to the Taliban. This included 70 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, 27 Humvees, and 73 aircraft, including helicopters. The equipment was rendered inoperable through various means, including the use of thermate grenades, which burn at temperatures of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and explosives.

The destruction of equipment deprived the Taliban of potential trophies and propaganda imagery. While the Taliban did acquire US military equipment, much of it will have little tactical value due to their lack of technical expertise, maintenance capabilities, and access to spare parts.

The US decision to abandon equipment at the Kabul airport was a result of the rushed nature of the withdrawal and the impracticality of removing two decades' worth of accumulated hardware. The abandoned equipment included machinery to help the airport return to civilian operation as soon as possible.

The US military's evacuation efforts from Kabul's airport resulted in the airlift of more than 123,000 civilians out of the country. The evacuation was carried out with the significant help of the Taliban, who established a secure perimeter around the airfield, enabling the safe departure of the final US flights.

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